Jewells of Thought

There are Seasons of Life for various reasons depicted in Ecclesiastes. Who can know for sure why you are being led to something in the middle of it except that God is the one moving you! Sometimes trusting in God is the way ultimately.

This move for our Family, looking back many years now, was good for us in different ways. At the time going through it I remember all the adults being unsure and yet sure we were needing to do something different. In my memory a conversation after we had swam in our pond that afternoon we kids were going to get to see the Church the adults were thinking about trying out. All of us grandkids were there, but it would just be us 3 going to Church that evening. Our cousins would be going home after drying from swimming.

Goodness I miss those days when all of us got together with all of us grandchildren and would eat dinner and swim the afternoons away. Those days seem like eons ago.

When we started at Bethel Baptist Pastor was a Farmer. Somehow Grandpa got intel on this Preacher Jim Swaby and that sealed the deal for him. So much has happened I can’t remember all that transpired during that time frame only that it was short-lived.

One of the amazing musical highlights for me was when Life-Action Ministries came and did a 2 night presentation. I bought the CD’s and even some of the cantata music. It made a big impression on me I was even certain I wanted to actually be a part of a group like that and would day-dream about it constantly. Disclaimer it didn’t happen! I went a different way. These were my last couple of years being the musician without the historian side of myself. All of that was about to change in 1999.

I was still the timid pre-teen, though. My cousin Lilly had to come with me to our Youth Group event that ended up being all night long; a Lock-In. After this event the ice was broken. Actually I had several girls nights over those 2 or 3 years with Chastity, Chelsea and the Preacher Egberts Daughter that for some odd reason cannot remember.

One Halloween at my High School our Band got together to Trick or Treat as the Cast of Grease. I was Frenchy for what seemed like two weeks since that’s how long it took to get the pink spray out of my hair. I had already sprayed my hair and once I got to the band room for our meeting time that night Timmy Richardson, simply had to make sure the entire contents of that spray can was in fact in my hair. Still that was the first time we did this and the last time. It was absolutely awesome though.

That same night however, was a sleepover at Chelsea’s house from Church. so my parents had to rush me over after Trick or Treating and my hair was as pink as could be. Joyce was a sweetheart and let me wash my hair out in their bathtub that night but it took me nearly a week or more of washes to get all of the pink out. Thank you so much Timmy! I did hear from another classmate’s mom that Timmy died probably within 10 years of graduation, if my estimation is right.

I just especially remember him having fun doing that specifically that evening.

Yet I don’t think Timmy was a Christian or was saved and that always haunts those memories I have of him. I pray somehow I am wrong and like the thief on the cross he asked for Christ and believed. Only God knows… now.

Our time here was maybe 3 years. Then in 2017 nearly 15 years later my parents and I returned. So many of the people we remembered from all those years ago were still there or had themselves returned. With the emotional distraught the 3 of us had just endured from literally being targeted this is what we needed. We were surrounded by another slice of our family and were beginning to learn the new faces that already felt like family.

One of the amazing events the Church lovingly devoted themselves to were making Bibles for other Countries. This was a highlight for two years until I found out my wrist surgery was in fact going to happen and had to wear a brace until the date of surgery.

Working on these Bibles for people who need them in other 3rd World Countries was an incredible blessing for all of us Church members putting in the time to work. The kids even found tasks to do for us that made them feel good too.

Honestly, as the historian this time around I thoroughly enjoyed being in the class with my parents. When we started in 2017 the Preacher’s Dad was the Teacher and listening to him was amazing and always intriguing to hear. Something I learned from my Grandpa Freddy while sitting with him for months in his and Grandma’s class before his death; observe and listen for the good teachers. I know that age doesn’t always equate but usually it does.

There are men I miss so much who were elders that could speak from experience and wisdom but could not call themselves Preachers. Ironically a lot of them are at or were at Fellowship; the next Church on my roster. You’ll have to learn those names possibly in the next Church Article.